ST1100 under-seat cargo clip

Joined
Feb 22, 2010
Messages
21
Location
Washington State, Skagit County
Bike
'91 ST1100
I recently purchased a '91 ST1100 and am going through the bike getting things straightened out, etc. The owners manual looks like it shows a cargo clip mounted on the frame under the rear part of the seat to be used as a spot to bungie strap to. My bike comes with a Corbin HST11R seat with the flip up rear seat back and I cannot find the cargo clip mounted on the frame under the seat. Does anyone know if the clips can be used with this particular seat, or do I have to put the OEM seat back on? And where can I get some of these clips? Anyone parting a bike they want to sell the clips off of? The seat has a couple of screws on each side mounted into the pan which looks like they could have been used for such a thing, but that's all that is left, just the screws. Anyone with an idea? Also, the bike runs kind of cold. At normal (?) operating temps the needle is just a little ways into the normal operating range arc and pretty much stays there. I checked and fluids are fine, everything seems ok. Does your bike run in the middle of the arc, temperature-wise? I was told by the seller that this was normal for this machine, but it sounds like BS, and that I probably need a thermostat. BTW, are there any other "common knowledge" tips about this machine that I should know of? I read a post the other day about the preferred oil level is halfway up the sight gauge! Since I had just done a change and noticed a little more vibration than normal I went out and drained some oil and presto! A better running machine! So what else do I need to know? :) I appreciate your time and interest and thank you in advance for return posts, Mark
 
MARK - On the stock ST1100 seats, there are wire 'swingouts' attached to the seat underneath and are designed for bungee straps. The only thing on the frames that I am aware of are metal 'prongs' to be used to hang your helmets on and then put the seat back on to secure the helmets.
 
Thanks Phil- found em! They are right there, just lucky they didn't bite me :) The screws on the Corbin seat pan look like they will work as well, simple from here. Any hints on the other stuff?
 
Hello Mark,

FirST things firST -- what colo(u)r is your '91, black or Sparkling Silver Metallic?!?! :)

The wire bail tiedowns that swing out from under the OEM saddle don't work on Corbin saddles as the sides of the Corbin are too wide, but they inserted threaded bolt holes into the underside of the saddles anyway. My circa 1993 Corbin Rumble came that way too. The wire bails have no known part numbers and can't be ordered, TTBOMK. We've known about this in STOC for years.

The Corbin bolt holes can be used to make some tiedowns:

caption: "My Corbin Rumble came with threaded holes to match/attach the OEM saddle's wire bails, but there isn't enough room to swing them out and actually use them; hence, this solution: 1 inch nylon webbing with buckles and rings. The Fastex buckles are a refinement of what I used for AlaskaSTOC 01. Removing cargo is a 'snap' now."


Your coolant temp readings sound normal. In warmer temps during stop-n-go traffic, the gage can be expected to go up to a little past vertical before you hear the fan kick on.

You've stumbled upon the mysterious oil level vibe fix. Dunno why it works but it does.

"Common knowledge" tips for this machine? Well, it's 20 years old and you didn't say anything about the mileage or previous maintenance history, but...
- Pro Honda Moly 60 paste on the final drive and driven flange splines
- coolant hoses are problematic at that age
- timing belt R&R at 90K
- the 28amp alternator is subject to failure - overworked, corrosion [can be upgraded to the 96-02 40amp version]
[the list goes on...]

Specific problems/item/procedure questions are best given their own thread, identified in the subject line, instead of a blanket, single thread. JMHO... you'll get better/more responses and it'll make the thread more searchable by others later.

Regards, John:STOC:
 
Thanks for the note, John. This bike is black and has 46k on the clock. Runs, shifts well and no signs of abuse. Some of the plastic side covers are slightly warped where they fit against the fairing, must have been some heat there at some point but not much to be felt there when running now. Thanks for the tip on the tiedowns on the Corbin seat, easy to do and look very handy. I will make some up soon. I am figuring out things as I go, a learning process like everything. I am not real happy with the wind noise and it looks like I may be purchasing a lam. lip combo soon but these things come with time and experience so I will keep riding and fix things as they break! Spline lube is next on the list and from the reading that I have done it doesn't appear too taxing, maybe this weekend. Thanks again, Mark
 
Let us know what your splines look like in a new thread.

I'm concerned with your comment about warped side covers, Mark. If something got hot enough to warp them that's some serious heat! :shock: Pictures would hopefully ease my concern (again, new thread, please).

If you haven't already, inspect, clean and dielectric grease these connectors:
- red 4P at the main-fuse/starter-relay [red lead heat damage?]
- white 6P at the voltage regulator/rectifier [tip: unbolt the VRR first]
- red 3P and black 2P from the stator [tip: cut out the 3P and solder]

John :STOC:
 
Congrats! The fellas covered it all, but I'll add that on my black '91 the tabs on the tupperware are getting brittle, and the hoses are nearing the end of their life. Also, my temp ran really hot to the point I added a "traffic switch" to manually operate the fan until I found a bad radiator cap that was contributing to it running hot. Now it runs like yours, and the fan comes in when the needle is almost straight up.
 
My corbin has what I believe to be the stock tiedowns. Not that it matters much since you apparently can't buy em from honda.
 

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My corbin has what I believe to be the stock tiedowns. Not that it matters much since you apparently can't buy em from honda.

Unbelievable!:hat2:

Yep, stock tie downs work on that Corbin and a few others but not on all of them as John pointed out! I switch mine between my stock seat and the Corbin depending on the seat I'm using!! Gotta try em to see if they work!
 
Thanks for all the help guys, I feel like I am getting a better handle on things. The side panel warpage occurs just behind the manifolds and I would include pictures but my wife is out of town for a while and she has the camera! Maybe later. I figured on dropping the rear tire out and getting to those drive splines along about this weekend so I will let you all know what I find out there. I got "pulled over" yesterday while riding back from town by a fellow 1100 rider and we ended up talking about this kind of stuff for about 45 min. Norm Keller from Chilliwack BC, nice guy and seems to have put in a bit of work on these bikes. He started poking and prodding (the bike) :) and had a look at the hoses, etc. Gave me a tip about the radiator hoses coming from the heads? under the carburetors and how to re-wire the headlights to get some additional light out of them. Anyways, may end up at his shop sometime for the first-time carb synch and hamburgers and go over some of the small stuff. BTW, i tried to put the cargo hook thing onto my Corbin and it could not fit right over the lip of the seatpan, so may get some longer screws and make some sleeves to act as stand-offs to get that thing out where it can be used, may be easier than making nylon loops from straps. May end up with both. Haven't looked at any wiring yet, but I will print out the list of checks and do those next time the panels come off. Thanks!
 
You'll be in good hands with Norm. That'd be a great friendship to cultivate. :)

I thought about making spacers to get my OEM wire bail tie-downs to work with my Corbin, but then realized that they'd contact the Side Covers if I did. BTW, over the years I have come to the conclusion that bungees are not as safe as I'd like for securing anything to the ST. I only use my handmade 3/4" and 1" nylon webbing straps with genuine Fastex buckles now.

edit: If you haven't already, I recommend doing some reading in the ST1100 Archive Of Wisdom: link

John :STOC:
 
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Just adding a quick note on the radiator hoses:

The hose to the elbow on the right cylinder bank often has a clamp from the PAIR valve right below it intruding into the rubber. To see this, tho, ya gotta pull the carbs. I have just such a hose setting in the garage, from The Hulk, and the dent is obvious.
DSCF6940.jpg DSCF6941.JPG

I'm sure that clamp contributed to my blown hose on STick at 121,000 miles.

We found the intrusion on Jay's SSMST but caught it before it caused trouble.

The same dent is apparent on Petar's blown hose (how lucky can ya get to blow a hose in your own driveway at the end of a commute home!? :D)

I've looked at a couple other bikes that didn't have it so not 100%.

So, all youse guys with original hoses, might be worth a check. Just rotate the offending clamp a few degrees and all is good again.


Not the sharpest pic, but you can get an idea of where to look for the dent.

I've said for years, hoses should be replaced at 120,000 miles, 'cause mine blew at 121,000. :D With added age, tho (mine happened in 2002, so 11 years old) lower miles might be prudent. Petar's bike has less than 80,000 miles.
 
Thanks for the help gentlemen! Good note on the coolant hose dent, something to look for when I get the carbs off. I haven't had all the panels off yet, but having a look at the hoses in the open shows them to be fairly recent and soft, will have a harder look when I can open up the bike more. I was wondering about seat to frame clearance and may take the safe route on the tiedown problem and make up a set of webs and loops. I am with you on the bungie issue tho, straps and webbing make a better system with less to go wrong. Heading for town today and am planning a trip to the steel yard, have an idea for a rack design for the back of the bike which may be interesting. Aluminum diamond plate with lightening holes and slots to tie gear down onto. We'll see!
 
There are hose clamps that don`t`bite`into the hose. They have a`protective`band that keeps the hose from being`pinched` Found this out years ago when replacing OEM hoses w/silicone hoses on a motorhome. A good auto parts store may carry them.

Also,I have several sets of OEM bungee hooks (the ones w/o Honda P/N`s).

Don
 
Heading for town today and am planning a trip to the steel yard, have an idea for a rack design for the back of the bike which may be interesting. Aluminum diamond plate with lightening holes and slots to tie gear down onto. We'll see!
Someone makes a billet aluminum luggage rack with lots of slots and holes to fit the 1100's . . . . not sure just who, but one came with the '97 I recently bought. It's about 21 inches wide by 12 deep and mounts using the 4 recessed screws on the tail

Don
 
I feel ripped off. I seen the bungi tie downs in the manual and thought that maybe they were for the European model. Mine did not come with the tie downs. :(
 
Used the ones off my stock seat on the Corbin.....plug and play. To get a bit more space between them and seat, bent them outward a bite. They ARE tough and I use ratchet straps securing cargo, no flexing at all from them!
 
Good idea about the bending, I may give that a shot tomorrow and see what happens. I rode on the OEM seat the other day for the first time and figure that it may not see much use, so it won't matter if the hooks won't fit it after I get done working on it. Eyeballed the windshield tonight and was thinking it might need a custom lam. lip addition, something with wings out the sides, too, to keep most of the wind off my shoulders. Always fun tinkering with stuff, built a set of wind deflectors for the mirror tops and am thinking about velcro to stick them down with. Maybe fiddle with that tomorrow a little bit.
 
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